December 11th

Running away with Matt sounds more and more like a good idea every day. For one thing, I'm treated like dirt at the mayor's house (no more calling him Dad) plus the fact that Sonic seems to pop up everywhere I am.

Alana's Ball is tomorrow and thanks to everyone's help, I'm actually ahead of schedule. After school, I need to pick up The Perfect Threesome + One's dresses and clean that apartment for Joe.

I think Kai, Shelby, and Rockie are planning something. They keep looking at me and then giggling. Plus when everyone comes over they disappear upstairs. And if I call her, I can hear Rockie and Shelby in the bathroom.

Something's going on and it involves me . . . and I'm not sure I like it.

Tonight was the longest work night of my life. I don't think I've ever had to clean up a party location this badly. I mean, seriously! There were chunks of crusted food clinging to the ceiling, trash strewn all over the house, layers of grime on the walls, and I think I even saw some pee stains on the carpet. And get this: there were even things on fire when we got there! And I think Avery found a used condom under a bed in one of the master bedrooms. How disturbing is that? She was pale white when she poked it with her broom. What a mental picture.

. - + * + - .

"What the . . . that's not . . . what I think it is . . . is it Amy?"

"Yes, Avery. It's exactly what you think it is."

"Gross!" she looked like she was going to puke. Her face turned into a light green with a sheet of sweat.

"Here, I'll get it." Magenna swept the piece of rubber into her trash bag, "If you know how my parents are, these things are laying around everywhere in their bedroom."

"Oh yeah, you have, like ten siblings?" Danielle asked.

"Fifteen," Magenna corrected.

This is another example of how I was like Cinderella. I had a job as a maid. I, my little sister, Avery, Magenna, and Danielle were all a packaged deal. The Hale's must have thrown a HUGE Sweet Sixteen party for their daughter. If we don't get this cleaned up in three hours, we might have to call back up.

"So you can't go to the dance?" Magenna asked.

"Nope," I answered, sweeping trash into a bag.

"If you could go, who would you go with?" Avery asked.

"Matt of course! Who else?" Danielle squealed excitedly.

"Who said I would be going with Matt?" I asked nervously.

"You'd have to go with Matt! He's your boyfriend!"

I smirked, "I would go with him if one: I were going and two: if Matt was interested in doing balls and dances and stuff. He's only into playing his guitar, smoking, drinking, and trying to get me naked."

Avery gave me a mischievous smile, "There's always Sonic,"

"Don't you even joke about that," I growled.

"He's with Alana, anyway. They'll most likely be going together," Magenna informed.

"You have a boyfriend, and Sonic has a girlfriend," Avery agreed.

"Why are we even talking about this subject right now?" I asked with sarcastic confusion. We all laughed and continued to clean.

"But if you could go with Sonic, would you?" Danielle asked, picking up a banana peel and flipping it into her trash bag.

"Have you guys been oblivious to the week's events?" I asked, dumbstruck, "No, I would not go with Sonic. If Sonic was going, I wouldn't go,"

"But it's a MASKED Ball!" Magenna reminded me, "So he wouldn't know who you are,"

"Doesn't matter," I told her, "I still wouldn't go,"

"You are so stubborn!"

"Get used to it," I muttered, trying to peel a wrapper off the underside of a table, "Are any of you guys going?"

"I am!" Danielle sighed, "Just by myself though. Can't find anyone to go with me."

"Lucky!" Magenna cried, "My parents won't let me go,"

"Neither will Mom," Avery agreed, "She thinks I'm too young,"

"You are," I told her, "There'll be beer and wine – "

"And people getting it on!" Magenna interrupted with a laugh.

"Not something age appropriate for you," I confirmed.

She sighed, "That's what you always say,"

"What are you wearing to the Ball?" Magenna asked Danielle while scrubbing at a stain on the carpet.

Danielle scrapped crusted applesauce off of a wall before answering, "A white, strapless dress with a really wide black ribbon around my waist."

"Nice," I said.

"Amy?" Avery asked.

"What?" I asked, pulling a pair of socks out of the folds of the couch.

"If you could go to the ball, and Sonic wasn't there, would you go?"

It surprised me when I said, "Yeah, I think I might."